Question #958
A company operates a legacy application on VMware vSphere VMs hosted on premises. The application processes data stored in a specialized binary format that can only be accessed through the application itself. The servers and application were manually configured. The company's disaster recovery plan requires temporarily migrating the application to AWS during on-premises outages, with an RPO of 5 minutes, and ensuring a return to on-premises hosting post-recovery. Operational overhead must be minimized.
Which solution meets these requirements with the LEAST operational effort?
Use AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) to replicate the VMs to AWS. During an outage, launch the replicated EC2 instances automatically. Replicate changes back to on-premises post-recovery using MGN.
Implement AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery. Continuously replicate the VMs to EC2 instances with EBS volumes. Failover to AWS during outages using Elastic Disaster Recovery, then re-sync data back to on-premises post-recovery.
Configure AWS Backup to create snapshots of on-premises VMs and store them in Amazon S3. During an outage, restore snapshots to new EC2 instances and manually reattach EBS volumes.
Set up VMware HCX to extend the on-premises environment to AWS. Replicate VMs to AWS during normal operations. During an outage, redirect traffic to AWS-based VMs using HCX mobility groups.
Explanation
Option B is correct because AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery (DRS) is specifically designed for disaster recovery scenarios. It continuously replicates on-premises VMs to AWS using block-level replication, ensuring an RPO of 5 minutes. During an outage, DRS automates failover to EC2 instances, reducing manual intervention. Post-recovery, it efficiently re-syncs data back to on-premises, aligning with the requirement to return to the original environment.
Other options fall short:
- A: While AWS MGN replicates VMs, failback requires manual configuration, increasing operational overhead.
- C: AWS Backup snapshots are periodic, risking RPO violations, and manual restoration adds effort.
- D: VMware HCX requires complex setup and ongoing management, conflicting with the minimal operational effort requirement.
Key Points:
- Elastic Disaster Recovery ensures low RPO and automated failover/failback.
- Continuous replication is critical for meeting a 5-minute RPO.
- Minimizing operational effort prioritizes fully managed services like DRS.
Answer
The correct answer is: B